Connection Voucher Scheme Updates

The Urban Broadband Team, part of the Department of Culture Media & Sport, recently release an update to all supplier on the scheme. Of the information provided, two topics were of huge importance.

Extension to New Cities

We can confirm that the following cities have been invited to join the Connection Voucher Scheme, from April 2015

Liverpool

Dundee

Nottingham

Glasgow

Sheffield

Swansea

Sunderland

Chelmsford

Hull

Exeter

Preston

Gloucester

Wolverhampton

Peterborough

Leicester

Ipswich

Norwich

Middlesbrough

Plymouth

Milton Keynes

Southampton

Reading

Stoke on Trent

Southend on Sea

Swindon

Bournemouth

Stirling

Inverness

Further cities may be added to this list and businesses in each of these, plus the original 22 SuperConnected Cities can claim £3,000 each from a pot of £40m.

FTTC Maximum limit

In some cases we have seen that installation costs on fibre broadband solutions have reached the maximum £3,000 figure. However, we have now received the update that any FTTC requests (fibre to the cabinet – or fibre broadband) must not exceed an installation cost of £800. This will come into play from 2nd February and councils will not automatically approve those requests.

We can confirm that, effective from 2nd Feb, the standard maximum voucher contribution to high-end FTTC deployments will be £800. Accordingly, from the 2nd Feb, all cities will be advised not to routinely approve FTTC-based quotes which seek a voucher contribution in excess of this benchmark number.

Department of Culture Media & Sport

If you would like to take advantage of this scheme before the changes in rule and the inclusion of other cities, please contact us.